LENIN COLLECTED WORKS

...practical and brief, because I absolutely have no time to read everything). Then I promise to strive for its implementation and to verify whether it has been carried out.

As to how to shift the greater center of gravity to Berlin (I agree to help with this), you must think about it and propose very tactful (NB) and concretely-practical measures for doing so. I will accept any possible measures and will endeavor to implement them.

If it is possible to help obtain peace with Finland, Ukraine, and Turkey (therein lies the crux of the matter), one must always do everything for this (of course, one cannot obtain this without certain new annexations and tribute). I would give much for the acceleration of such a peace.

Do not be nervous yourself either. To reform (and create anew) diplomacy is a difficult matter. Festina lente*.

Best regards.

Yours, Lenin

P.S.

28/V. Missed the courier.

Chicherin passed to me the text of a note which Ioffe sent on his own initiative to the German government, agreeing to the transfer of Black Sea Fleet vessels (i.e., their withdrawal from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol)² on the condition only of peace with Ukraine. Meanwhile, our government in a clear note (communicated by radio and also to Ioffe) recognized it as possible to agree to the transfer of vessels to Sevastopol on other conditions, namely: 1) peace on all three fronts, i.e., both with Ukraine and with Finland and with Turkey; 2) no annexation of Sevastopol.

How could Ioffe make such an error? How could he "sell us short" in this way? How was it possible at all to send a note on such an important question on his own initiative without consulting, without consulting...I do not understand.

N.B. Send Arbeiterpolitik**, the Stuttgart "Social-Democrat" and similar publications, all of them, completely, 5-10 copies each.

Have you begun to publish anything legal in German? What exactly? What is the plan for publication and when does it begin?

Greetings! Lenin

¹ A. A. Ioffe — in 1918 Soviet ambassador to Germany.
V. R. Menzhinsky — in 1918 general consul of the RSFSR in Berlin.
* — Do not hurry.
** — "Workers' Politics."

1917—1918 YEARS

The matter concerns the transfer of the Black Sea Fleet from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol. In spring 1918 German imperialists occupied Ukraine, invaded Crimea, and approached Sevastopol, where the Black Sea Fleet was concentrated. In order to save the fleet from German seizure, the Soviet government on April 29 transferred it to Novorossiysk. Ten days after the fleet's arrival there, German command declared that the fleet's transfer allegedly violated the Brest Peace Treaty and ultimatumatively demanded its return to Sevastopol, threatening otherwise to continue the offensive along the Black Sea coast.

On May 11 the Soviet government sent a "Protest to the German Government Against the Occupation of Crimea" (see V. I. Lenin. Works, 4th ed., vol. 27, pp. 322—323). All attempts to reach agreement with the German government produced no results. In view of Germany's manifest intentions to seize the Black Sea Fleet, the Council of People's Commissars on May 28, 1918 issued a secret directive to naval authorities ordering the destruction of all Black Sea Fleet vessels and commercial steamships located in Novorossiysk. On June 18 of that year the crews of the Black Sea Fleet carried out the order of the Soviet government: a significant portion of the vessels was sunk off the coast of Novorossiysk.

NOTE TO N. P. GORBUNOV
[May 29, 1918]

To Gorbunov

Tell Minkin* that Syzran has been taken by the Czechs. But one must not succumb to panic. Our forces are preparing to offer resistance. It is necessary that the Penza people also prepare themselves firmly and energetically. Success is assured us if we do not lower our hands.

* A. E. Minkin — deputy chairman of the Penza Provincial Executive Committee and head of the expedition for the production of banknotes, later chairman of the Penza Provincial Executive Committee.

LETTER TO THE EDITORIAL OFFICE OF THE NEWSPAPER "IZVESTIYA VTSIK"
May 30, 1918

To the Editorial Office of Izvestiya TsIK

The bearers are representatives of the Yelets Soviet government. I earnestly request that you place in the newspaper an interview with them. A model district in terms of order, accounting of cultural estates and management of them, and in the suppression of the bourgeoisie.

With comradely greetings

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)